Loaded Joe’s in Avon hosts student art show

That’s the gist of a letter that Battle Mountain High School art teacher Berneil Bannon sent to students (and their parents) last May.

“All students who want to be successful in AP Studio Art must be prepared to work harder than they ever have before in an art class,” Bannon wrote in the letter. AP stands for advanced placement.

The year-long course is “rigorous, relevant and rewarding,” she wrote, but the key work is rigorous.

“AP Art is a class that encourages student to venture outside of their comfort zone, to challenge themselves and to employ creative thinking in new ways,” said senior Battle Mountain High School student Laura Morris. “The result is that students produce work that surprises even themselves.”

Students produce a piece of art a week and, at the end of the year, submit a portfolio of five pieces of artwork and 24 images of other pieces, which are uploaded to the College Board website. The students goal is to score a “5” on their portfolio assessment, which will ensure the student receives college credit for the course.

Before the students’ portfolios get shipped off, Bannon wants to show off what they’ve accomplished. Paintings, drawings and more will be on display at Loaded Joe’s in Avon Wednesday night from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

“Their work is so good I want them to have the opportunity to show off before they send their stuff to College Board,” Bannon said.

Out of all the courses Remy Lovett has taken, he cites AP Art as one of the most rewarding.

“It challenges, stimulates and inspires students to create works of art under a very intense time frame,” said Lovett, a senior at Battle Mountain. “Through the course I have learned to branch out of my comfort zone and have fun with experimenting. Art is a great way to escape, and sometimes that is just what students need amidst all the other pressures that come with high school. The possibilities in AP Art are endless, and you are in control.”